Drop wire separating shaft for a weaving loom



Sept. 26, 1967 o. GEIGER 3,343,572

DROP'WIRE SEPARATING' SHAFT FOR A WEAVING LOOM Filed Aug. 3o, 1965 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 26, 1967 o. GEIGE'R 3,343,572

DROP WIRE SEPARTING SHAFT FOR A WEAVING LOOM Filed Aug. 5o, 1965 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 United States Patent O M 3,343,572 DROP WIRE SEPARATENG SHAFT FR A WEAVING LGOM Otto Geiger, Rnti, Zurich, Switzerland, assigner to Rut Machinery Works Ltd., formerly Caspar Honegger, Reti, Zurich, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Aug. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 483,557 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 3, 1964, 11,509/ 64 11 Claims. (Cl. 139-858) The present invention relates to an improved separating shaft for separating the warp stop motion drop wires that are arranged in different rows and that are supported by the warp threads on a weaving loom.

In weaving looms, warp threads are continuously monitored by a Warp stop motion. With drop wire-type warp stop motions, there are serrated bars which move parallel to their lengths and also with respect to each other. Positioned over the bars are the drop wires which are supported by the warp threads. When a warp thread breaks, the drop wire associated with the broken warp thread drops onto the bars and prevents them from moving with respect to each other. This engagement, in turn, causes the weaving loom to be stopped. In the electrical monitoring installations, the Warp stop motion drop wire actuates an electrical circuit, thus stopping the weaving loom.

Particularly in the weaving of thin fabrics, the number of warp threads and the number of drop wires associated therewith is so great that there is not sufficient space over the length of the loom to arrange all the drop wires in a single row. Thus, a multiplicity of rows of drop Wires arranged parallel to each other is provided. In order to avoid free, uncontrolled swinging back and forth of the drop wires, which are continuously in movement, the drop wires in the different rows are separated by drop Wire separating shafts.

Due to the friction of the warp threads on the drop wires and due to the rubbing effect of the threads, one against the other, a fluff consisting of small individual filaments is continuously formed during operation of the loom. This :duif deposits on the drop wire separating shafts and does not drop off of its own accord. The fluff gradually becomes matted with the drop wires and warp threads, and may bring the weaving loom to a standstill or it may produce weaving defects.

The disadvantages of these types of arrangements are eliminated in accordance with the present invention Wherein there is provided an improved separating shaft having the shape of a rod that has a profile or outline delimited by a cylindrical surface and that rotates about its longitudinal axis during the operation of the loom.

More particularly, the present invention is directed to the use of a rod as an improved separating shaft for the separation of the warp stop motion drop wires that are arranged in various rows in the weaving loom and are supported by the warp threads, wherein said rod has a profile or outline delimited by a cylindrical surface and is coupled with a driving means that rotates the rod about its longitudinal axis during operation of the loom.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for the operation of a warp stop motion having warp stop motion drop wires arranged in various rows in a weaving loom and supported by the warp threads, wherein a rod, disposed between the rows as a separating shaft and having a profile or outline delimited by a cylindrical surface, rotates continuously about its longitudinal axis during the operation of the loom.

The invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a warp stop 3,343,572 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 ICC motion device intended for use on a weaving loom; and

FIGURES 2 and 3 show examples of the cross-sections of the rod serving as a separating shaft in accordance with this invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, two end supports 11 carry groups of serrated bars 12. For the sake of clarity, only two of the four serrated bar groups usually provided have been shown in the drawing. Each serrated bar group comprises two outer serrated bars 13 and 14 and a central serrated bar 15. The outer bars 13 and 14 are fixed and the inner bar 15 is mounted for reciprocal movement parallel to its length. This is achieved by appropriate movement of the pins 16, with which each of the bars 15 is connected.

Of the large number of warp threads that extend perpendicularly with respect to the serrated bars 13, 14 and 15 (each of which threads carries a warp stop drop wire), only the two warp threads 17 and 18 are shown. Drop wires 19 and 20, respectively, are the warp stop motion drop wires associated with threads 17 and 18. If a warp thread breaks, its associated drop wire drops down and prevents the reciprocating movement of the central drop wire bar 15 in the bar group disposed below it, so that the loom is stopped by means which are not shown.

The Warp stop motion drop wires, which are in continuous movement during operation of the loom, are arranged in rows, one such row being arranged along and above each bar group 12. The individual rows of drop wires are separated from each other and retained in a vertical position by the separating shafts or rods, numbered from 21 to 25, in such a manner that drop wires of different rows cannot Ibecome caught up in each other.

According to the invention, each of the separating shafts has a profile or outline delimited by a cylindrical surface extending in its longitudinal direction and distributed over its periphery. Furthermore, the separating shafts rotate continuously during the operation of the loom. The drive producing this continuous rotation is preferably derived or taken from the cloth beam drive (not shown). The driving means being represented for example by the rubber cord 26 which is shown moving in the direction of the arrow 27. The rubber cord 26 partly surrounds each of the separating shafts, as can be seen from FIGURE l, and rotates the shafts by its movement in the direction of the arrow 27. It would, however, also be possible to select some other drive means which would also prove to be practical under othert given structural arrangements.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-section drawn to a larger scale through the separating shafts 21 to 25 shown in FIGURE 1. The .profile or outline of each shaft is formed with a series of grooves 31 uniformly distributed over the periphery. The grooves 31 extend in a longitudinal direction, preferably parallel to the axis 32 of the rod. Experience has shown that entirely satisfactory elimination of the fluff formed is effected if the number of grooves is between ten and thirty.

A further example of an advantageous cross-section for a rod serving as a separating shaft is shown (again drawn to larger scale) in FIGURE 3. According to this example, the shaft is prismatic in shape, its axis again being designated with the reference number 3-2. The profile or outline of the shaft is polygonal, so that the cross-section of the shaft consists of the regular polygon having the sides 33. It is advisable to select a prism having at least eight edges along its length in order to achieve entirely satisfactory removal of the fluff. In order to retain the stop motion drop wires in their vertical positions as much as possible, the prole or outline of the separating shafts or rods 21 to 25 is, as shown, so selected that it is delimited by a cylindrical surface coaxial with the rod.

A means Vvalue for the rotation velocity of the shaft Vis of the order of magnitude of ten revolutions per minute.

It will be appreciated that rotation of the separating shaft of this invention, as exemplified by the embodiments shown herein, not only prevents uff from directly adhering to the shaft but also operates to `clean and remove fluff from the drop wires when contracted therewith.

While the novel features of the invention have been shown land described and are pointed out in the appended claims, it is to be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in construction and arrangement of the fea-tures shown and described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a warp stop motion for a weaving loom having means for separating the warp stop motion drop wires arranged `in various rows and supported by the warp threads, the improvement which comprises a separating ',tion.

3. The warp stop motion according to claim 2 in which tento thirty grooves are distributed over the periphery of said shaft. 4. The warp stop motion according to claim 2 in which said .shaft is prisrnatic, its `cross-section being a regular polygon having lat least eight corners.

5. The warp stop motion according to claim 1 in which the cylindrical surface delimiting the profile of the shaft extends parallel to the :axis of the shaft.

6. The warp stop motion according to claim 1 in which said shaft is coupled with a driving means for rotating the shaft about its longitudinal axis during operations.

7. The warp stop motion according to claim 6 in which said driving means is operably associated with the cloth beam drive of the weaving loom.

8. The warp stop motion according to claim 1 in which said shaft rotates during its operation with a rotational velocity of the order of magnitude -of ten revolutions per minute.

9. A method for preventing fluff produced from warp threads from matting up on the drop wires and the separating shafts of a warp stop motion of ia weaving loom having warp stop motion wires arranged in different rows and supported by the warp threads which `comprises positioning a separating shaft between rows of drop wires which has a prole delimited by a cylindrical surface and thereafter rotating said shaft continuously about its longitudinal axis during operation of the weaving loom whereby iiuif from said warp threads is prevented from directly adhering to the shaft and also removed from said drop wires when contacted thereby during their movement on said warp threads.

143. The method according to claim 9 in which the cylindrical surface delimiting the profile of the shaft extends panallel to the axis of the shaft.

11. The method according to claim 9 in which said shaft rotates with a rotational velocity of the order of magnitude of ten revolutions per minute.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 12,174 10/190'4 Kip 139-353 652,223 6/1900 Harriman 139-353 869,643 10/1907 McGuiness 139-358 X 937,136 10/1909 Wyman 139-358 1,268,159 6/1918 Ryon 139-349 1,569,828 1/1926 S'EOIIE! 139-369 X 2,233,552 3/1941 Penland 139-349 2,342,752 2/1944 Payne 139-358 MERVIN STEIN, Prim-my Examiner.

I. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WRAP STOP MOTION FOR A WEAVING LOOM HAVING MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE WRAP STOP MOTION DROP WIRES ARRANGED IN VARIOUS ROWS AND SUPPORTED BY THE WRAP THREADS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A SEPARATING SHAFT POSITIONED BETWEEN ADJACENT ROWS OF SAID DROP WIRES TO PREVENT UNCONTROLLABLE SWINGING BACK AND FORTH OF THE DROP WIRES, SAID SEPARATING SHAFT HAVING A PROFILE DELIMITED BY A CYCLINDRICAL SURFACE AND ROTATING ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS DURING OPERATION OF THE WEAVING LOOM WHEREBY FLUFF PRODUCED FROM SAID WARP THREADS IS PREVENTED FROM MATTING UP ON SAID DROP WIRES AND ON SAID SEPARATING SHAFT, 